Stoppage time costs Oxford United in relegation battle

The Yellows were relegated to League One last weekend ahead of their 4-1 win over Sheffield Wednesday in which Will Lankshear scored an impressive brace, Will Vaulks and Myles Peart-Harris also getting on the scoresheet.

After a strong run of games which saw The U’s defeated only once in eight games, losses to Derby County and Wrexham proved the killer blow to their survival hopes.

A messy pre-season, lack of consistency and poor start to the campaign all proved factors in United’s struggle but one than data has highlighted is the late dropping of points in matches.

It has not happened on many occasions against Oxford, but if all Championship games so far this campaign were to have ended on the stroke of 90 minutes, The U’s would have retained their second-tier status.

An early example of this happening against The U’s was back in August when they were defeated 3-2 away at Hull City under Gary Rowett.

Rowett’s men had found themselves at 2-2 after just 26 minutes and were holding on for a draw in East Yorkshire.

Oxford United concede in stoppage time at Hull City (Image: Richard Parkes)

However, experienced striker Oli McBurnie had other ideas, finding a winner in the 93rd minute to break U’s hearts.

The most significant late disappointment, though, came more recently against relegation rivals Charlton Athletic in March.

A good performance and a first penalty in 675 days had seen Oxford lead 1-0 at the Kassam, Cameron Brannagan tucking away the long-awaited spot kick.

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Oxford United’s Cameron Brannagan celebrates scoring (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

Late pressure came from the Addicks and a moment of weakness from centre back Ciaron Brown saw the Northern Ireland international pull Charlton defender Lloyd Jones to the floor in the penalty box.

Charlie Kelman stepped up in the 93rd minute to rescue a point for Nathan Jones’ side, snatching two from the grasp of Matt Bloomfield’s men.

Charlton Athletic’s Charlie Kelman celebrates scoring (Image: Steven Paston/PA Wire)

Charlton went on to be the closest rival to Oxford on the penultimate match day of the season, their draw against Hull last weekend seeing them climb out of The Yellows’ reach.

The late draw that the Addicks rescued in March is made all the more significant as, if stoppage time were not included this season, Charlton would be sitting in the relegation zone and six points worse off across the campaign.

The U’s would have one extra point, according to data from OLBG – each team’s position was calculated by taking away their goals scored in stoppage time and after the 75th minute in each respective game – and be out of the bottom three in 21st place.